My 88 Formula Interior Redesign (Page 8/87)
revin NOV 17, 12:26 PM
Use the "old one" as a mold and add a release agent to it and start laying down the glass on it!
Go by a boat store and see if they have larger fiberglass cloth. (OR get some flannel material and then brush on the resin.works teh same and is how they make the speaker boxes look so custom) drape it over the mold and add resin to it. use the wax paper often and not so much bondo. the bondo should be only for the small imperfections. Even then it should be only a thin spread.

Use those pieces yu have and build off of them. Fiberglass will stick to its self, rough it up and add the resin to it (instead of the hot glue)
Just keep ALL air bubbles out of the process!
Sofa King NOV 17, 01:59 PM
Hey R,

Good advice... I'm still unsure how to proceed.

The bondo I slap on is to ensure I fill any holes not just in the console but any pits left by the bondo itself. I would say I sand away 90-95% of the bondo. The reason its so heavy is because the number of layers of glass I applied.

The reason I mentioned the hot glue was it is very diffcult glassing together two separate pieces - especially at a 90 degree angle and considering I've never done it before. I'm trying to figure out the easiest way for example (looking at the above image with all the pieces labeled) adhere pieces A, C, I and L. Piece A is one of the console sides and C,I, and L are the console tops. What is the best way to temporarily fix them in place before I glass them? That's why I mentioned the glue gun. Make sense?

Again, thanks for the great advice.

[This message has been edited by Sofa King (edited 11-17-2009).]

revin NOV 17, 02:36 PM
well you could make a cool little 90* angled piece of resin only.
Put a nice fat "line" of resin down on your wax paper, that is draped over a cardboard box.in a 90* or whatever angle you need, when that dries you have a base for glassing it all together. kinda like a little angled fiberglassbracket.
Then just mix up some more resin and use that for your gluewait till it starts to get gooey, then slap the angled piece on there andlet it all dry.

When you lay the glass down make sure the surface it smooth and NO BUBBLES! if a bubble appears, pop it and add a little bit of resain to fill in that hole, lay wax overthat and pressit out smooth. less sanding on a smooth surface the bondo will be a nice "filler" only after the glass work is done.
have you heard of a "skim coat" that is all the bondo should be and yep sand most off. that is why a skim coat and not a thick pass.

do get me wrong, you are doing a great job! don't give up.
remember it is only sanding and spreading not rocket science

use the wax paper as a palete for making panels and then put the panels together how ever. Wrap wax around a tube for a round tube shape, a square box..same thing.

You can even get some stiff cardboard, make it into the shape you are looking for and glass over the cardboard! cover that with the wax and it will lift off in that shape and make things easier for ya!


crap now I want to go glass something up in my garage! lol
87GT2M6 NOV 17, 05:36 PM
If I rebuild the console it will consist of 15 basic pieces - not including the glovebox. I have enough supplies to do the job and it wouldn't take but half a day to create all the pieces necessary to rebuild the basic console. It's just a thought. What do you think?

Concept image with cupholder


I love this concept. If the final piece is going to weight less and look factory made (meaning one side won't be highter than the other ect) then by all means do that.
katatak NOV 17, 08:18 PM
Not sure how you would get all those pieces stuck together and square? Also, do you think it would be strong enough at the joints? I guess you could "build" up the joints underneath for strength.

Instead of making resin angle's, Could you use drywall corner metal? or get some coil stock aluminum and make your own angle's. If you had a small metal break, you could make all the angle's at the correct angles using your original as a template. Then just glass these angles in place? Just thinking here. The coil stock aluminum would be lighter than several layers of glass in the corners and would add strength to the joints. I was looking around in Home Depot getting some ideas and they have the perforated or mesh aluminum grate things for rain gutters. You could use this to make your angles and the mesh would allow the resin to flow all around it - maybe make it even lighter but still be strong?

I have a small metal break and bent up some angles to give you an example but for some reason, Photobucket is FUBAR and I can't get any pictures off of there.

pat
Sofa King NOV 17, 09:07 PM
Hey P,

I'm still not sure what to do. It's funny, I was in Lowes the other day looking for the same things - angle braces and brackets, etc. I'm going to try something simple at first. As you know I still have to create the armrest. So before I go off and rebuild the entire console I'm going to use the armrest as the test bed. To make it simple, I'm going to tape the outside edges and then the tops running across the length of the armrest - I'll have to send a pic. I'll then resin the inside. Wait for it dry and then add a thin layer to the inside.

Still no cup holder... Hopefully tomorrow
Sofa King NOV 17, 09:15 PM
Hi All,

Well... I'm really friggin frustrated. The edges of the console are driving me nuts! The fiberglass was really pitted on the edges so I've tried putting body filler in these areas 5 times. Everytime I sanded, all the filler came out of the pits. So tonight I tried a couple layers of resin - no glass just resin. It's a little cold out tonight so i won't be able to do anything until tomorrow.

Resin added to the edges


Close up


Here's the ol workspace. It's tough to tell in this pic but there is so much dust!


I've made the decision (95%) not to recreate the console. I'm hoping the resin will solve the pitting problem. If it does then its full speed ahead and I can begin cutting the lid out and getting the "glove box" plug ready for fabrication

Have a great evening!
Sofa King NOV 17, 09:19 PM

quote
I love this concept. If the final piece is going to weight less and look factory made (meaning one side won't be highter than the other ect) then by all means do that.



Thanks for the kind words. The "pats" on the back really inspire me. I might try recreating the console just for the heck of it. I definately have some long term plans for the interior but I'm trying really hard to keep it under wraps until the console is finished. Plus I have a few tweaks to do to the final design.
Sofa King NOV 17, 09:25 PM

quote
you are doing a great job! don't give up.
remember it is only sanding and spreading not rocket science

crap now I want to go glass something up in my garage! lol



Revin,

Thanks for all the great advice. Not to worry. I'm not giving up on this project. I'm much farther than I thought I ever would be. The toughest parts are still ahead. Cutting the lid will be the most challenging - not hard - just a real challenge. There are 4 cuts that will require a Dremel before I can get a blade in between to make the cuts. Again, not to worry... a steady hand, lot's of sanding and filler will rule the day.

It might not be rocket science, but it's definitely rocket surgery...
katatak NOV 18, 12:02 AM
Some questions for you Greg.

I have been looking around for supplies and was wnodering what resin you are using? I was reading some threads that say that the regular resin has a wax in it so that it will "cure" but you have to sand it between layers to remove the wax so the next layer will stick. I guess ther is a resin without the wax and the resin with the wax is what you use on the last layer? Are you using the 2 different resins?

I have my console pieces stripped down and ready to start - I just can't figure out what I need for supplies. I am not looking for a perfect surface when done as I am planning on doing some kind of textured coating (Lunitec) or something else. I may even take it across the border and get it covered in something. Iplan on glassing over and leaving the origianl pieces in the part for mounting and strength. But I have read a lot about making a mold and using relaease agents, gelcoat, etc to get a nice finish on the part. Maybe after I mess up this first one, I will have to give it a try.

I am wondering why the filler would not "stick" in your pin holes. I wonder if it is related to the resin/wax thing. If your resin has wax in it and you are using polyester filler, it may not be "sticking" in the pin holes due to the film of wax? I have read so much about glass work that my eyes are bleeding and it all seems to be running together now. Tomorrow I glass......or fail!

Pat